WASHINGTON D.C. - Since President Bush has entered office, we've heard a lot about how he wants to bring people together, provide families with more opportunities, and give Americans a better life. Now, less than two months into his term, it's become clear which Americans he's talking about -- and it's NOT working families.

Indeed, Bush has been very busy his first several weeks in office. In such a short time, he has issued executive order after executive order rolling back hard-fought protections for our nation's workers.

• He re-instituted a policy from his father's administration that requires federal contractors to advise employees about their right to withhold the portion of their union dues that is used to educate them about actions taken by the government -- a swift effort to silence the voice of workers.
• He abolished the National Partnership Council, which was created to make it easier for labor and management in the federal government to find solutions to the challenges in the workplace.
• He lifted a requirement that government contractors hire employees who have been laid-off by previous contractors.
• And he suspended a rule barring repeated violators of labor rights, health and safety protections, tax laws, and environmental safeguards from receiving government contracts.

Throughout my career, I have fought for workers' rights and against all efforts to rollback hard-fought labor protections. We have come a long way in securing good wages, benefits, and working conditions for America's workers. That's why the President's recent executive orders are so disheartening.

As if these actions aren't bad enough for America's workers, one of Bush's most damaging anti-labor executive orders abolishes voluntary Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on all federally funded projects.

Intended to protect the rights of workers while keeping project costs low, PLAs between federal contractors and unions have been used on many important infrastructure improvements across the country to establish universal wages, benefits, and working conditions for workers - while ensuring that labor shortages and stoppages will not slow down a project. PLAs are good for communities, working families, and contractors. That's why they've been used - voluntarily - for over 60 years.

Bush's executive order banning the use of PLAs hurts everyone, but it especially hurts working families. PLAs have been instrumental in ensuring that contracts are completed on time, containing cost overruns and saving taxpayer dollars. They have been crucial in recruiting minority contractors and hiring minorities and women. They have been key to ensuring that workers have steady employment on a project, receive a living wage, and are treated fairly by employers. And they have been valuable in creating work atmospheres that are free from labor/management conflict.

The Administration's recent action to ban PLAs was timed to affect the large Wilson Bridge project just outside Washington, DC. At the urging of anti-union construction firms, Bush acted quickly to issue his executive order and stop a possible PLA on the Wilson Bridge project. His action will allow area contractors to hire workers from outside the metro area, pay them low wages, and offer them minimum benefits.

With this executive order, Bush is making the statement that any future projects receiving federal funding - including school construction, road construction, and other public infrastructure projects - will not have to honor labor laws. Workers on federally funded projects will no longer have the protections they had only months ago.

Most disturbing, is that this Administration is only beginning its crusade against labor. In addition to the executive orders and rules already issued, the Bush Administration is pushing to abolish the new federal worker safety rule requiring businesses to modify work areas to help prevent repetitive motion injuries.

The President is suggesting that we allow states to opt out of any additional increase in the minimum wage - a dangerous precedent for all federal worker protections. And reminding us of Reagan/Bush policies toward workers, this Administration is considering the privatization of our air traffic control system, jeopardizing air safety and threatening to take jobs away from highly skilled and experienced experts. Our unions have fought long and hard for their protections and for wages that will support their families. And now Bush wants to take them away with the stroke of a pen.

We won't let that happen. We need to stand up for workers' rights, make our voices heard, and make it clear to President Bush that we will not take his attack on America's workers sitting down. That's why I have introduced a bill to increase the minimum wage, am fighting hard against efforts to rollback worker safety protections, and am working tirelessly to ensure that the rights of workers are protected in all government contracts, trade agreements, and labor policies.

Through each battle, you can count on me to stand with you, speak out against the Administration's assault on working families, and defend the rights of workers at all costs. It's never been more important.

Nicole Nice-Petersen
Office of Congressman David E. Bonior
2207 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
phone: (202) 225-2106
fax: (202) 226-1169